Cooking on backyard barbecue grills is a popular pastime. As with any form of cooking, maintaining a stable temperature in the cooking chamber of the grill is important for proper food preparation. In addition, it is necessary for the grill operator to periodically access the interior of the grill during the cooking process, whether to rotate the food for additional cooking or check whether the food is completely done.
Typical grill designs require the entire lid of the heating chamber to be lifted in order to access the contents of the grill. This releases heat from the chamber, which ultimately lowers the temperature of the heating chamber. On the other hand, keeping the lid closed for the entire cooking period does not allow the griller to turn, flip, or check the contents of the grill. In addition, opening the lid and reaching into the heating chamber to access food can be dangerous given the high temperatures or flames within the chamber. What is desired is a grill that allows the griller to access the contents of the grill in a safe manner that also works to keep the internal temperature of the heating chamber at a sufficiently constant level.